Round 8 Feature Match: Josh Campbell vs. James Miller

February 27th, 2010

The Duelists at the top tables usually get all the love in SHONEN JUMP Championship coverage, especially on Day 2. But today, we’re going to take a little bit of time to give a nod to the other guys – the brave souls that are sticking it out to the very end, despite finding less success in today’s competition. Yes, the courageous few who continue playing even though they won’t make Day 2, and won’t be winning any extra prizes. Today, we Feature Match the last table in the tournament with the lowest-ranked Duelists remaining: Table 140!

Josh Campbell and James Miller actually traveled here together this weekend, and are now paired off for a Duel amongst friends. This is their first SHONEN JUMP Championship. Campbell is running Fortune Lady Chaos, while Miller is piloting Insects with Verdant Sanctuary. Was the low win count getting them down? I asked what they thought of the event, 8 Rounds into a tournament they couldn’t win.

“It’s pretty awesome!” replied Campbell, completely unfazed by his losses. “Yeah, I’m having a great time!” chimed in Miller, who wasn’t feeling down or frustrated either. Both Duelists clearly just came here to play their best, and now that’s precisely what they were going to do – right now, in an official Feature Match.

Miller opened the match with “Windstorm of Etaqua,” “Gokipon,” “Spiders’ Lair,” “Cross-Sword Beetle,” “Spyder Spider,” and “Verdant Sanctuary.” He Set Windstorm, activated “Spiders’ Lair,” and Summoned “Gokipon”. He activated “Spiders’ Lair” and targeted “Gokipon” with its effect, so anything that battled “Gokipon” in the future would be turned to Defense Position.

Campbell activated “One for One,” discarding “Fortune Lady Water” to Special Summon “Cyber Valley” from his Deck. He Normal Summoned “Krebons” and ended. Campbell Summoned a “Krebons” himself, Tuned it to “Cross-Sword Beetle,” and Synchro Summoned “Underground Arachnid”! Arachnid snapped up “Krebons,” attacked “Cyber Valley,” and Campbell removed “Cyber Valley” to draw a card and end the Battle Phase. He had no recourse next turn though: he could do nothing but Set a second card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone.

Next turn Miller Summoned “Spyder Spider,” attacked for 2400 damage with “Underground Arachnid,” and Campbell Special Summoned “Tragoedia” to block the rest of the attacks. Miller ended. Campbell drew for his turn, then activated “Return from the Different Dimension” to Special Summon “Cyber Valley”! He removed it and “Tragoedia” to draw 2 cards, then drew 2 more with “Allure of Darkness,” removing “Chaos Sorcerer” to complete Allure’s effect. He Set a monster to finish out.

Miller drew “Card Destruction,” holding “Doom Dozer” and “Shield Worm.” He Summoned the Worm, sending 4 cards off the top of Campbell’s Deck. “Spyder Spider” attacked, destroyed Campbell’s face-down “Fortune Lady Water,” and Special Summoned “Cross-Sword Beetle.” Miller pushed with his massive field of Insects and there was nothing Campbell could do!

James Miller wins the first Duel of the Match, swarming the field with Insects and totally overrunning Josh Campbell’s Fortune Ladies! Duel 2 began just moments later.

Campbell opened with “Cyber Valley,” Summoning it and setting a Spell or Trap. Miller toasted Valley with “Lightning Vortex,” discarding “Doom Dozer,” and then Set 2 cards to his back row. He removed “Doom Dozer” to Special Summon “Aztekipede, the Worm Warrior,” but lost it to “Torrential Tribute.” He Summoned “Pinch Hopper” next, attacked, and Miller Special Summoned “Tragoedia.” Campbell ended.

Instead he drew, activated “Allure of Darkness,” and drew 2 cards. He removed “Tragoedia” for Allure’s effect. He activated another Allure, but couldn’t hit a DARK monster! His reason for keeping the “Tragoedia” became clear: he didn’t have any other DARK monsters, but had been stuck with 2 Allures. He dropped “Pot of Avarice,” “Fortune Lady Light,” “Fortune Lady Water,” and two copies of “Fortune’s Future” to the Graveyard. “Uhh, go!” Campbell laughed, now left with just two cards Set in his back row.

Miller couldn’t draw due to “Reckless Greed,” but he could hit Campbell again with “Pinch Hopper.” Campbell discarded “Fortune Lady Fire” next turn, activating “One for One” to Special Summon “Fortune Lady Light”! He then activated “Compulsory Evacuation Device,” returning Lady Light to his hand and Special Summoning “Fortune Lady Dark” from his Deck! Lady Dark attacked, but Miller played another “Compulsory Evacuation Device” of his own, bouncing her away. Campbell Set Lady Light, losing her to “Pinch Hopper” next turn.

Campbell activated “Card Destruction,” making his opponent discard… his own “Card Destruction”! It was a lucky play, because Campbell got to trade his Lady Dark for “Chaos Sorcerer.” He Special Summoned it, removed “Pinch Hopper” from the field, and ended. Miller destroyed Sorcerer with “Lightning Vortex” next turn. Campbell passed, Miller Set a monster, and Campbell Summoned “Fortune Lady Water.” It attacked into “Man-Eater Bug,” and the Bug’s effect destroyed Lady Water! Campbell activated “Call of the Haunted” still in the Battle Phase, attacked, but was stopped by “Windstorm of Etaqua.” Both competitors were now top-decking.

Miller drew “Spider Web” and activated it. Campbell turned Lady Water to Attack Position, attacked for 1500 damage, and “Spider Web” turned her to Defense Position. Miller Set a monster, Campbell passed, and Miller Set a card to his back row. Campbell Tributed Lady Water for Lady Dark, and attacked, but Miller had the “Compulsory Evacuation Device” yet again! Lady Dark was sent back to Campbell’s hand.

Miller Flip Summoned “Gokipon,” Summoned “Krebons,” and attacked for a combined total of 2000 Battle Damage. Both monsters were turned to Defense Position by “Spider Web.” Campbell had 3000 Life Points left, while Miller had 6500. Campbell Set a card to his back row. Miller Summoned “Spyder Spider,” Tuned it with “Krebons,” and once again Synchro Summoned “Underground Arachnid”! It attacked, and went to Defense Position thanks to “Spider Web.”

Campbell activated “Return from the Different Dimension” next turn! That brought back his Lady Dark, Lady Light, and “Tragoedia.” He Tributed “Tragoedia” for another “Fortune Lady Dark,” activated “Heavy Storm” to destroy “Spider Web,” and attacked “Underground Arachnid” with “Fortune Lady Dark.” He used its effect to Special Summon “Fortune Lady Water,” drew 2 cards with its effect, and then used the other Lady Dark to Special Summon “Fortune Lady Fire.” Fire’s effect destroyed “Gokipon,” the second copy of Dark made a direct attack, and Lady Fire, Lady Water, and Lady Light all followed. Miller was down to 1900 Life Points and Campbell now controlled 5 Fortune Ladies. Lady Light and Lady Dark were removed from the field in the End Phase, and Light’s effect Special Summoned “Fortune Lady Earth.”

Miller’s next draw was “Call of the Haunted” – he Set it and ended. Next turn Campbell burned his opponent for 400 damage with Lady Earth as his Fortune Ladies leveled up, and he attacked for the win moments later!

Josh Campbell fights back from 300 Life Points and losing his entire hand to Allure, to take the win with a field full of Fortune Ladies! This one was headed to a third Duel! Both competitors made use of their Side Decks and play began a few moments later.

Miller opened with 2 “Spyder Spiders,” “Call of the Haunted,” “Pinch Hopper,” “Doom Dozer,” and “Spiders’ Lair.” He Summoned “Pinch Hopper,” activated “Spiders’ Lair,” and used its effect on “Pinch Hopper.” He Set Call to end his turn.

Campbell activated “Future Visions,” then Normal Summoned “Fortune Lady Light” to remove it from the field! Light’s effect Special Summoned “Fortune Lady Dark” from Campbell’s Deck, but he refused to attack “Pinch Hopper.”

Miller drew “Cross-Sword Beetle,” Set “Spyder Spider,” and turned “Pinch Hopper” to Defense Position. He couldn’t get through “Fortune Lady Dark” quite yet. Campbell brought back “Fortune Lady Light” next turn, Tributed her for “Fortune Lady Dark,” and removed the newest copy of Lady Dark from the game for “Future Visions.” The first Lady Dark attacked and destroyed “Spyder Spider,” and it Special Summoned “Fortune Lady Light.”

Miller Summoned “Cross-Sword Beetle,” removed it for “Future Visions,” and ended. Campbell Normal Summoned “Krebons,” brought his second Lady Dark back from the field, and sent her to attack “Pinch Hopper.” When “Pinch Hopper” was destroyed, Miller Summoned “Relinquished Spider” with Hopper’s effect. The next Lady Dark destroyed “Relinquished Spider.”

Miller brought back his “Cross-Sword Beetle,” Normal Summoned “Spyder Spider” to remove it from the field, and then removed two Insects from his Graveyard (both of his Spiders) to Special Summon “Doom Dozer.” “Doom Dozer” destroyed one of the Lady Darks, “Cross-Sword Beetle” punched through Lady Light, and play was to Campbell.

He brought his “Krebons” back to the field, Set a monster, and ended. Miller brought back his “Spyder Spider,” sent it to attack Campbell’s face-down, and revealed it to be “Fortune Lady Fire.” Lady Fire was destroyed, “Spyder Spider” Special Summoned “Pinch Hopper,” and “Doom Dozer” attacked “Krebons” – Campbell used “Krebons”’ effect to negate the attack, leaving Miller to Normal Summon “Cross-Sword Beetle” and remove it.

Campbell’s Lady Dark went to 3600 ATK, attacked, and Miller responded with “Magic Cylinder” to reflect the 3600 damage! Campbell now had just 2600 Life Points left, and he ended his turn. Miller brought back his “Cross-Sword Beetle,” Set a Spell or Trap, and Campbell sent the Beetle back to his hand with “Compulsory Evacuation Device.” “Spyder Spider” and “Doom Dozer” each attacked “Krebons,” and Campbell dropped to 1000 Life Points. Time was called as Campbell started his turn.

He sent Lady Dark to attack “Spyder Spider,” now wielding 4000 ATK. “Spyder Spider” was destroyed, and Miller went down to 5500 Life Points. “Spiders’ Lair” turned Lady Dark to Defense Position, but Campbell got to Special Summon another Lady Dark with the effect of his first. That Lady Dark attacked “Pinch Hopper”: Miller Special Summoned “Cross-Sword Beetle” with “Pinch Hopper’s” effect, but Campbell got to Special Summoned “Fortune Lady Light” and “Fortune Lady Fire.” Fire’s effect destroyed “Doom Dozer.” In Main Phase 2 Campbell Synchro Summoned “Black Rose Dragon” and cleared the field – Miller chained “Reckless Greed” to draw 2 cards.

Campbell Special Summoned “Fortune Lady Earth” – Miller now had 2700 Life Points to Campbell’s 1000. Campbell activated “Pot of Avarice,” sending 4 Fortune Ladies back to his Deck, and returning “Black Rose Dragon” to his Extra Deck. Campbell drew his 2 cards and Set a Spell or Trap. He’d have one more turn to try and even the score by dealing at least 1700 damage.

Miller Set a monster, Set a card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone, and then Special Summoned “Doom Dozer”! “Doom Dozer” attacked over “Fortune Lady Earth,” Campbell Special Summoned “Tragoedia,” and Miller activated “Royal Decree.” Campbell drew for his turn, and now “Tragoedia” had 2400 ATK. Campbell used “Tragoedia’s” effect to mimic Lady Earth’s 6 Levels, then activated “Emergency Teleport” to Special Summon “Krebons.” He Special Summoned “Chaos Sorcerer” (removing Lady Light and “Krebons” from his Graveyard), then returned Lady Light to his Graveyard for “Fortune’s Future.” He drew 2 cards, drew 2 more with “Allure of Darkness,” and removed “Fortune Lady Dark.” Another “Fortune’s Future” sent it to the Graveyard, and he drew 2 more cards.

Campbell Tuned “Krebons” to “Tragoedia” to Summon “Stardust Dragon,” removed “Doom Dozer” with “Chaos Sorcerer’s” effect, and “Stardust Dragon” attacked into Mean-Eater Bug. “Man-Eater Bug’s” effect was negated by “Stardust Dragon,” but this was Campbell’s last turn due to End of Match Procedure, and he offered his friend the handshake!

James Miller wins the Match, but both of these Duelists put on a good show and demonstrated a lot of passion for the game. Insects triumph over Fortune Ladies, and these 2 friends have one heck of a story to tell about their first-ever SHONEN JUMP Championship!

See what our panel of experts had to say after the Duel.

Michael Kohanim(2009 World Championship Competitor)Campbell and Miller both made some questionable plays and had some odd card choices in their Decks, but none of that matters when you enjoy the game as much as they do. By staying in the tournament until the end regardless of the outcome of their Matches, they proved that they each have the heart of a Duelist.